Death toll climbs to 7 in SW China blast, over 200 injured

GUIYANG, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Seven people have been confirmed dead and over 200 others injured in an explosion in southwest China's Guizhou Province Tuesday, local authorities said.

The accident happened at about 11:30 a.m., when two cargo trucks loaded with about 70 metric tons of explosives exploded in front of a motor vehicle testing station in the city of Fuquan, about 100 km from Guizhou's capital of Guiyang, according to the local rescue headquarters.

Windows were shattered in nearby houses, and cars parked near the site were severely damaged. A nearby grain warehouse was

Afghanistan and Pakistan Agree on Joint Inquiry Into Envoy’s Murder

ISTANBUL — Afghan and Pakistani leaders agreed on Tuesday to conduct a joint investigation into the assassination in September of the leader of Afghanistan’s peace process.

Burhanuddin Rabbani, the leader of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council and a former president, was killed by an assassin who posed as a peace emissary from the Taliban and had hidden explosives in his turban. After being ushered into Mr. Rabbani’s home in Kabul, Afghanistan, the man embraced Mr. Rabbani and

Turkey earthquake: More aid pledged to worst-hit area

Officials said 12,000 more tents would be delivered to the cities of Ercis and Van and also to nearby villages.

Ankara has been accused of failing to help some of the most needy, who spent the second night in freezing conditions without heating and tents.

At least 279 people are now known to have died and some 1,300 were injured after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

Rescue teams with sniffer dogs continued through the night to search for survivors under the rubble of hundreds of collapsed buildings.

Cranes and other heavy equipment have been lifting

CBI does not oppose bail for Kanimozhi, 4 others

Leaving even the defence counsel surprised, the CBI on Monday opted for a limited reading of the order on charges in the 2G spectrum allocation case while telling the special court that it did not have any opposition to five of the accused — including Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi Karunanidhi — being granted bail.

The CBI’s move comes despite the special court’s order Saturday last week that charged all 17 accused in the case with conspiracy to commit criminal breach of trust — a non-bailable offence

Pakistan releases Indian Army chopper, crew returns safely

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: The Army chopper that strayed into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and was forced to land by Pakistani military, has been released and has returned to India.
The Cheetah helicopter with four officers on board returned to Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir around 6pm, ending an inadvertent intrusion that immediately triggered urgent talks between the two foreign and military establishments.

The chopper landed safety in India, Virendra Singh, the army's assistant public relations officer, said.

Indian military officials earlier said that pilot error forced the chopper to stray across the Line of Control (LoC) that